Airbags are supposed to save lives, not endanger them. However, when it comes to the global recalls of millions of vehicles equipped with Takata Airbags, we find that sometimes safety devices aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Defective Takata Airbags run the risk of exploding during minor vehicle collisions, causing metal fragments to shoot into the passenger compartments of cars. In some cases, these incidents have resulted in the unnecessary death of occupants inside the cars.
With a recent announcement from Ford, the continued recall of vehicles has yet to stop. Ford recently issued a bulletin that it has added approximately 33,000 pickup trucks – built in 2006 – to its ‘Do Not Drive” list.
In addition to Ford, Mazda has also recalled a number of its B-Series pickups from the same model year, which also have the dangers and defective Takata Airbags installed. All of the trucks included on the ‘Do Not Drive’ list were already recalled in previous notices issued by the dealers. The difference is, Ford and Mazda are now warning consumers not to drive these vehicles under any circumstances.
Both automakers have also announced that they will provide towing and a repair of the problem at no cost to the vehicle owners. Consumers who own these vehicles should heed the warnings of the automakers closely – and take advantage of the free tow and repair. Failing to do so could leave consumers in danger of suffering a fatal accident.
Were you hurt by a defective automobile part? Unfortunately, consumers may not discover that their automobile was defective or dangerous until after a catastrophic injury has occurred. If you suspect that a defective car hurt you or your loved one, take the time to investigate your legal options as soon as possible.
Source: Claims Journal, “Ford Adds 33K Rangers With Takata Airbags to Do-Not-Drive List,” Tom Krisher, Feb. 14, 2018